"Libraries at the heart of the community," was the theme of this year's Library Legislative Day which provided an opportunity for library advocates to promote awareness of the issues important to the library community. Leading issues emphasized funding for libraries, and included current legislation related to affordable broadband and Internet services for Wisconsin education and library communities, and state and federal education legislation support for school libraries.

Librarians are working closely with WiscNet and the University of Wisconsin on a legislative solution that allows the WiscNet board, staff, partners and all its members to continue to advance and innovate. The Senate Bill 375/Assembly Bill 473 was introduced to delay (for one year) the new restrictions on the UW System in selling, providing telecommunications services, and participating in any telecommunications cooperative or consortium, including connection to regional and national high-capacity broadband networks. The restrictions are intended to ensure WiscNet is not competing with private broadband communications networks. The extension made it through the Senate committee with a 6-1 vote but could face challenges in the Assembly and with the Governor.

The non-profit WiscNet cooperative is fully funded by its 465 partner education and library members to promote collaboration, efficiency and quality telecommunications at an affordable price. Members include most of Wisconsin's colleges, universities, K12 school districts, all public library systems, the State of Wisconsin, many local and municipal governments, hospitals and several nonprofit affiliated organizations. In spite of about $90 million annually in taxpayer subsidies for private providers to provide cost-effective service in rural areas, Internet services through WiscNet are a fraction of the cost.

WiscNet has been recently selected to participate in the national U.S. UCAN project to facilitate advanced and innovative broadband applications to help community anchor institutions, including public libraries, schools, community colleges, research parks, public safety and health care institutions have access to advanced broadband capabilities.

As a member of the Internet2 network consortium for global researchers, the University of Wisconsin can combine services on a national scale. This month WiscNet was selected for a pilot eText accessibility trial for students and faculty. The new model for digital course materials reduces costs to students while efficiently compensating authors and publishers.

A WiscNet led Wisconsin broadband project was awarded a Top Rural Development Award in 2011 from Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc. for its positive impact on rural Wisconsin communities. The project connects 182 community anchor institutions (libraries, educations, government and health care) with a broadband network also available to service area homes and businesses.

Reductions and eliminations of school library programs are creating an 'access gap' between schools in wealthy and poor communities and affect public libraries (whose budgets are also being cut) now tasked with serving a school curriculum and teaching remedial information literacy skills. The Wisconsin legislature has considered bills proposing diverting funds from the Common School Fund which many school districts rely on as their sole funding source for information resources. The fund provides about 1/2 of one book per child per year.

Students in America perform better in schools with solid school library programs. Advocates have been uging U.S. Senators from Wisconsin to include authorization for an effective school library program provision in the The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (EASA), nationwide legislation addressing the needs and inequities in school library programs. Including a school library program provision in the Senate's ESEA now will position school libraries to be included when the ESEA bill is finally reauthorized, likely in the next Congress in 2013, and will determine K-12 federal education policy for years to come.

The Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries Act (SKILLs Act), an ammendment to the ESEA bill, includes provisions that support effective school library programs with funding, materials, qualified staff, and digital literacy resources.

The Heart of the Community

The 2012 Children's Book Fest in Rhinelander will feature a presentation by the Cooperative Children's Book Center on the best new books and the current trends in children's literature. Browse through the CCBC Book Exhibit and connect with other professionals who share a passion for outstanding literature for youth. The presentation will be held at the Congregational church in the evening on March 6 from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., and in the morning on March 7 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Libraries have traditionally served as economic engines for the book industry and are contributing to the digital shift in sales as collections that were traditionally tailored to local cardholders become integrated into large online services offering the latest digital conveniences. Interactive digital innovation is transforming every aspect of the publishing business and redefining the market as digital formats and licensing solutions evolve with the new technology.

Libraries face many ebook lending challenges such as consortia-access pricing, access to multiple copies for book groups, and restrictions. The current publishing paradigm restricts library cardholders with publisher terms of access, tools, and platforms. Publishers may also place restrictions on how many times a book can be downloaded or when new books become available. Some publishers don't lend ebooks at all and are holding out for licensing models such as a digital media download kiosk in the library that would be more in line with the lending of books.

Recent negotiations involving American Library Association and publisher representatives have reaffirmed a mutual commitment to connect authors and readers, to meet the growing demands of the digital world, and to work towards a library model for lending ebooks that fosters a robust culture of literacy.

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Hackasaurus - Hackasaurus open educational tools for teaching webmaking make it easy for youth to develop skills to remix, create and share on the web with attitudes and ethics that help them thrive in a remixable digital world. In partnership with libraries, learning centers and youth media centers, Hackasaurus makes hacking and digital literacy accessible, social and fun. Throwing a Hack Jam at your library gives teens the space and resources to understand and experiment with web structures. For more information visit the Hackasaurus Wiki FAQs.

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CCBC Recommended Youth Literature - CCBC Shorts offer a tour of recommended literature for youth in short presentations scheduled throughout the year that feature a variety of topics relevant to youth literacy including storytime selections, Wisconsin titles, award winners, holiday books, and selections for reluctant readers.

Library Journal Best Sellers - Lists include fiction and nonfiction and romance (book and ebook) compiled from data on books borrowed and requested at public libraries throughout the U.S.

Outstanding Softcover Releases - NPR displays new fiction and nonfiction releases in paperback with links to news and reviews.

In Celebration of Ojibwe Life - An interview with Ojibwe writer David Treuer  highlights the beauty of reservation life from his book Rez Life: An Indian's Journey Through Reservation Life.

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